


The Art of Starving

by BabyDennisNeedsMilk



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Language, M/M, Slight Smut, emotional Dennis, my poor baby Dennis, some emotional Mac
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 17:28:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11925723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyDennisNeedsMilk/pseuds/BabyDennisNeedsMilk
Summary: Dennis is close to finding out why Dee ran off. Along the way, he finds romance.





	The Art of Starving

**Author's Note:**

> This is based loosely on the book 'The Art of Starving'. This book is quite triggering for people with body dysmorphia. Mine is not as intense as the book itself, but it still shows the struggles people have. In this case, Dennis's experience with it. I suggest the book to people who want to experience something different. Anyway, I was sick while writing this, so if there's spelling mistakes it's because I probably sneezed and hit my keyboard. Enjoy.

The more Dennis starves, the sharper his senses became. He could hear more. See more. Smell more. It made him one step closer to finding out about the disappearing of his sister, Dee. All while he didn't care for her much, she was his sister. And they needed each other, as much as they'd hate to admit it. But someone drove Dee to run away. From everything. From Dennis, from their bar, from their friends. And all Dennis knew is that it somehow involved Mac. Occasionally, Dee would call the bar and say everything was fine. That she had everything under control. But there was a slight edge in her voice. It sounded of fear, and Dennis just god damn KNEW it had something to do with Mac. They'd been spending more time in private before she disappeared. Whispering to each other. Passing strange glances in their apartment as they passed. Did Dee sleep with Mac? Wasn't Mac gay? Dennis had no idea what was happening at this point. But whenever Dennis was around Mac, he would feel something. The hunger in his stomach begged to be fulfilled, but Dennis pushed away the thoughts as he watched Mac.   
"Hey, what's up?" He asked, struggling to keep his voice steady.  
"Nothin much. Any word from Dee?" Mac wondered, but he still had that edge to him. Dennis could hear his heart beat speed up in his chest.   
"Nah." Dennis shrugged, getting himself a water. He sipped on it casually as he eyed Mac from across the bar. He was overwhelmingly smelly today, but not in a bad way. He smelled of cologne and cinnamon tooth paste. He also smelled of loneliness, which Dennis classified as a sort of cigarette smell. But Mac didn't smoke. So he knew it was the loneliness creeping through his skin.   
"You wanna watch a movie?" Mac suggested, gesturing toward the door.  
"Like, in Dee's apartment, or at the theater?"   
Dennis heard Mac's heart thud at Dee's name. He was getting nervous.  
"In a theater. But don't get it wrong, bro. It's not a date." Mac winked, then walked out the door. Dennis followed. As they were walking to the theater (it wasn't very far from the bar), Dennis was bursting with everything he heard, smelled, and saw. Occasionally he would get small clips of what Dee was doing in his head. One played, and it was of Dee, sprawled out on Artemis' apartment floor. But that's the only picture Dennis got before it faded away. No noise, no smells, just the visual of Dee laying on the carpet. Dennis could almost feel himself tearing up, but he pushed the tears far back in his mind. The jig would be up if he dare start crying. As Dennis thought through what Dee was going on the floor, he realized they were in line for movie tickets.   
"What do you wanna see, dude?" Mac asked, and he had a hint of anger in his voice. He must've been asking for awhile and Dennis would've drifted off.   
"Let's watch the spaceship movie." Dennis suggested, and that's what they settled on. Mac had gotten them a big carton of popcorn to munch on.   
"Want some?" He pushed the food toward Dennis, and Dennis wanted to give in so bad. He wanted to shove handfuls of it into his mouth until all he could taste was salty, buttery goodness for the rest of his life. But he simply said no. He had to find out more about Dee. He had to see more. He had to know what was happening.   
"This movie sucks ass." Mac chuckled, gently pushing Dennis' thigh with his own. As much as Dennis hated Mac for whatever he had done, he had to admit that he was hot as hell. His face turned dark red in the dimly lit theater.   
"Yeah." Dennis replied simply, his eyes wandering back to the popcorn. He had to refuse, he was so goddamn close to finding out what Mac did. But hell, it was hard when food was just so, so good.   
"You're getting so thin, Den. What's up with that?" Mac asked after the movie was over. Dennis felt his heart speed up in his chest. The thudding of it mocked him as he tried to think up an answer that wouldn't get him into a hospital, being forced fed and never figuring out what happened to his sweet Dee.   
"Oh, this? New diet pills! Yeah, they make you lose fat and gain muscle." Dennis flexed what little muscle he had left, and Mac pretended to be impressed.   
"Totally ripped, bro." Mac smiled, biting down on his bottom lip afterward. Mac didn't believe him, he knew that much. And he'd have to start gaining muscle to make it a tiny bit more realistic. After returning to Dee's apartment, he decided to snoop around her drawers. Mac was in the shower, so he shouldn't be a bother while Dennis did his work. There was nothing, except for the smell of a warm CD. It came from the laptop, so Dennis wandered over to it and flipped it open. He popped open the CD player and saw a disc that had 'Dennis' labeled on it in Dee's handwriting. Could this be his answer? He prayed to god it was, because if it wasn't, Dennis would break down into a million little pieces. He hit play, and Dee popped up on the screen.   
"Hey, boner. It's me, Dee. You already knew that, though. Anyway, you notice I've been gone. I know Mac has been acting strange because there's no goddamn way that idiot could act normal when he knows a secret. So I'm here to tell you, and you only. Dennis, I'm pregnant. With a child, that I'm gonna keep. It's not Mac's, he just knows about it. I figured the stress of you losers and the bar would really hurt my chances of a healthy baby, so I escaped for a bit. But I will return. And Dennis, can you eat for me? Please? We're twins, after all. I know you've been starving to uncover the truth. Here it is, Den. I love you and I'll see ya soon, buddy." She smiled before turning off the camera. Dennis felt so relieved, but he was beyond pissed at Mac. Was Mac never going to tell him? And why was he watching a video that was clearly labeled 'Dennis'? He had so many questions, but he shoved them in the back of his mind. He knew where his sister was, safe and sound. He could eat now. But the overwhelming feeling of her safety made him not want to eat anymore. He just wanted to celebrate. When Mac got out of the shower, Dennis slammed the laptop shut.   
"You found the tape," Mac sighed, not ready for the questions Dennis was going to throw at him.   
"Yeah. Hey, Mac?"   
"Yes, Den?"   
"Come here." He murmured softly, taking in the sight of Mac with water dripping down his body.   
"Sure," Mac obeyed. Dennis pulled him down by his neck and kissed him lightly, his warm wet lips feeling great against his own. Mac was only in shock for a second before kissing him back, then standing up straight once more.   
"I'm gonna get dressed now." He smiled, then walked into Dee's room.  
It was from that moment on that kissing between them had become a regular thing. But it never extended beyond that. Sometimes Dennis would fall asleep with his face in Mac's chest, but they would never exclusively touch each other or cuddle up. One time, Charlie nearly caught them when they were kissing. Dennis had convinced Charlie it was just a game they were playing (you play telephone, but with your lips against the other players and they try to make out what you said). So of course Charlie wanted to try and they shut him down immediately. Word of this new game got back to Frank, which spotted the lie immediately. One day out of the blue, Frank had arrived with flowers at the apartment.   
"For the new couple." He grinned as soon as Dennis had opened up the door. Dennis laughed slightly before responding.   
"I don't have a girlfriend, Frank." He took the flowers, though, and set them on the table.   
"Neither does Mac, clearly. Unless he's not telling me something."   
"I meant you two! Your thing. You know, you could've just told me you were gay, Dennis. I would've accepted you and bought you a whole pink wardro-"   
"I'm not gay, Frank. Where are you getting this from?" Dennis began to panic, glancing toward Mac.  
"Charlie told me. He said he caught you playing a mouth game.." Frank trailed off, getting confused. Dennis' face was bright red by now. He had shooed Frank out, then slammed the door behind him and leaned against it.   
"He's got a point. It's like we're in a relationship, dude." Mac pointed out, slowing approaching Dennis.   
"We aren't in a relationship, Mac. I couldn't date - I wouldn't date you," Dennis' words got caught in his throat as Mac put a hand on the door, right beside Dennis' head.   
"What's so wrong with me, Dennis? Why couldn't you date me? We make out all the time anyways. Don't think I don't notice your hard ons and when you scurry off to get in the shower after we make out for awhile." Mac shrugged, inching closer to Dennis' face.   
"It's not like that, Mac. You're my bro, my best friend. My blood brother, even. I wouldn't date Dee, why would I date you?" He swallowed, trying to lighten the mood by punching Mac's arm lightly.   
"You'd date me because I know you want to, Den. I know things about you. I know you cry and have human emotions. I know it would tear you apart to see me kissing any other guy on the street. Why can't you just admit that you like me as more than your best friend?" Mac was pleading now, his eyes turning from focused to soft. He looked like he was going to cry.   
"Mac, I don't have it in me to love someone." Dennis reached his hands up to capture the tears that fell from Mac's eyes.   
"But you can try.." Mac breathed out, feeling a lump in his throat.   
"Love me like you loved Maureen, Dennis. Love me like that. Marry me one day. If you can't love me, can't you pretend?" He pushed, now leaving soft kisses along the outer corners of Dennis' mouth. Like they would change his mind or something.   
"You know I didn't love her. I used her." Dennis leaned his head back against the door, feeling miserable. It hurt him to see Mac cry, but he couldn't just love someone like that. Maybe deep down he did, but it would take so much more to make him crack. He wished he had Dee to help him. But all he had was a crying Mac that just wanted nothing more than his love.   
"Try for me, Den. Please." He murmured against Dennis' forehead. His tears leaked into Dennis's face.   
"Fine." Dennis gave up, letting Mac capture his lips in a kiss. Dennis was so overwhelmed by Mac's love for him that he nearly started crying himself. But he held it in as he kissed Mac back, and he knew this was going to all turn to shit once Dee returned. She'd never accept this in her apartment. She couldn't. She couldn't handle all of their love and cooing, or even their possible sex in her shower. But maybe with a baby she will feel part of that love. Not the sex part, obviously. But maybe she wouldn't mind because she had a tiny love of her own. Her own baby bird. Dennis was smacked back into reality when he felt Mac pull on his lower lip with his teeth.   
"No, Mac." Dennis said through his teeth. He knew Mac wanted to take things further, but Dennis was afraid that he would end up 'making love' instead of fucking. And Dennis Reynolds does not make love.   
"Cmon, Dennis. I swear I'll make it good for you." He grinned, pushing his lower half against Dennis'. Dennis gave in, feeling warmness spread throughout his groin.   
"Oh god, Mac, you asshole," he leaned in to kiss his neck, but Mac pushed his head back and started to kiss Dennis' neck instead. He left a trail of hickeys all the way down to Dennis' collarbone, and couldn't help the smile that formed across his lips.   
"Marked." Mac smiled, running his tongue across the marks he'd just made. Dennis stayed quiet, not making any noise.   
"Fuck em good, Mac!" Frank shouted from behind the door. Mac had a hard time containing his laughs as Dennis turned around in fury.   
"Go home Frank!" He growled.   
And Mac did fuck Dennis good that night. It wouldn't be forgotten any time soon.


End file.
